Fanshawe Pioneer Village
Fanshawe Pioneer Village museum is an early example of what the 20th-century Conservation Authorities “Pioneer Village” museum used to be. It showcases rural communities’ stories from Westminster, Delaware, London, North Dorchester, West Missouri, and Lobo in Middlesex County from 1820 to 1920 and the City of London’s founding and development up to 1840. The past comes alive through the daily demonstrations Fanshawe Pioneer Village offers.
This 46-acre history site is owned and operated by the London and Middlesex Heritage Museum, and it focuses on London’s historical heritage preservation. Due to the size of the museum and the fact that most of the staff are volunteers, maintaining the site can be an ongoing challenge. Fanshawe Village received FedDev Ontario’s Community Infrastructure Fund (CIIF) funding to make the necessary repairs and restorations to the building. Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program also made every visitor experience more enjoyable.
Fanshawe Pioneer Village is located in London, Ontario, on Chonnonton, Anishinaabek, Lūnaapéewak, Haudenosaunee, and Wendant people’s traditional lands. This place acknowledges historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous groups face in Canada. It also accepts the responsibility as a public institution to contribute and spread awareness about correcting miseducation, build mutually respectful relationships with Indigenous groups, and work towards creating an inclusive community for all. Fanshawe Pioneer Village reflects the past with a clear vision for London and Middlesex’s future. Promote civic engagement through local history.